It wasn't all that long ago that you were lucky to find one brand of mezcal on liquor store shelves in this country-and that one had a worm in it. (It still does.) In recent years, the mezcal category has grown by leaps and bounds. Now there are not just dozens of choices of classic mezcals made from the espadin agave in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, but there are also mezcals made from different kinds of agave, and in different parts of Mexico. Among these more exotic bottlings, one of my favorites is Amarás's joven (unaged) mezcal made in the state of Guerrero from the cupreata agave. (And apparently I'm not the only one who thinks it's fantastic-it won Best in Show for all unaged spirits at last year's prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition.) Appealingly herbaceous, with just enough smoke to add another layer of complexity to its array of floral and vegetal flavors, it makes a great Old Fashioned as well as a sensational straight sipper. - David Mahoney